Saturday, February 13, 2010

Fwd: The Morning Offering

Living the evangelical life of Orthodox monasticism in witness to the salvific truth of the Gospels of Our Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!

TheMorningOffering Saturday, February 13 / January 31 (Church Calendar)Commemoration of the Acetics

Prostrating before all of you, I humbly ask for your forgiveness for any and all offenses that I have caused in the course of this past year. May this Great Lenten Fast be one filled with sincere repentance, humility and brotherly love, and may we all remember, daily, each other in our prayers before the Throne of God.

With deep love and respect, I remain,Abbot Tryphon

Saints of the Day:

January 31 / February 13. Holy wonderworkers and unmercenaries Cyrus and John. Martyrs Athanasia and her daughtersTheoctiste, Theodotia and Eudoxia, at Canopus in Egypt. St. Nicetas of the Kiev Caves, Bishop of Novgorod. Martyrs Victorinus,Victor, Nicephorus, Claudius, Diodorus, Serapion, and Papias of Egypt. Martyr Tryphaenes at Cyzicus. St. Pachomius, abbot of Keno Monastery. New-Martyr Elias Ardunis of Mt. Athos. Repose of Elder Codratus of Karakallou Monastery, Mt. Athos (1930).

Photo of the Day:

(click for enlargement)

Quote of the Day:

He who has no patience with us when we sin does not love us. Neither does he love us who does not forgive us when we repent of our sin. And he loves us least of all who does not rejoice at our improvement.

Patience, forgiveness and joy are the three greatest characteristics of divine love. They are characteristic of all real love - if there is such a thing as real love outside of divine love. Without these three characteristics, love is not love.

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic"Homily on the Gospel of the Prodigal Son"

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Romans 14:19-26

19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

Matthew 6:1-13

Do Good to Please God

1 "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

The Model Prayer

5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.